Milwaukee, WI

Why Brewers infielder Vinny Capra can be more than just the team’s latest spring fling

Published

1 year ago

March 15, 2025

Why Brewers infielder Vinny Capra can be more than just the team’s latest spring fling

PHOENIX – Remember these Milwaukee Brewers spring heroes of Cactus Leagues past?

There was Mike Brosseau, who won the spring home run crown with six bombs and carried an OPS (on-base plus slugging) above 1.500 in 2022.

What about Nick Franklin, who raked his way to a 1.222 OPS in 2018.

Or Brad Nelson, who won a spot on the opening day roster in 2009 by hitting four homers and driving in 19 runs.

Can you recall all the way back to 2001, when Angel Echevarria went 15 for his first 30 with three homers?

It’s a rite as old as spring training itself. A player on the fringe of making the major-league roster becomes as hot as the Arizona sun.

Unfortunately, just as the desert temperatures cool when the sun sets, so do the bats of these spring flings. Brosseau was designated for assignment within months of his spring training slamming. Franklin never got another big-league knock. Same with Brad Nelson. Echevarria actually had the best offensive year of the bunch, but his defense made him a negative-value player the rest of the season.

Vinny Capra making strong case for roster spot

Enter 2025’s Maryvale masher: Vinny Capra.

The Brewers infielder is having one of the most impressive springs of anyone not only on the Brewers, but in the entire state of Arizona. He’s batting .346 with a 1.414 OPS and Cactus League-leading five homers.

A journeyman at 28 years old, Capra seemingly has an inside track to make the opening day roster, too.

“Vinny doesn’t have options, so if you really like the player and he has the spring that he’s had, you got to think there’s probably a good shot he at least wins the job temporarily,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.

The roster spot no longer seems to be a big question for Capra. This though, is: Can Capra be more than just the Brewers’ latest spring fling?

Here’s the optimist’s breakdown of why he could be less of a Franklin or Echevarria and more 2017 Jesus Aguilar.

Off-season adjustments to swing have paid off

Capra hopes that off-season simplification of his mechanics and bat speed work will lead to some late blooming as a hitter.

Let’s start with the former. Frustrated by where his swing was at late in the off-season, Capra texted hitting coach Connor Dawson with a thought: What if I just simplify all my movement at the plate?

“That’s a great idea,” Dawson responded.

Capra felt he was swaying too much in his load, which threw his whole swing out of sync – “That kind of changes your eye level,” he said – and just tried to simplify the movement. He would send Dawson videos from his training in Florida and felt like there was progress.

“Once I kind of hammered in that movement for a month, it was like I told myself when I get to bat, ‘Don’t think about anything,’” Capra said. “Just see the ball, load, get downhill and kind of see what happens. Everything is working out.”

There’s another element to Capra’s swing that is working out, too: The power his bat is generating.

Work to improve his bat speed in the off-season has translated to game action this spring. His five homers could ultimately just be a byproduct of spring training, but for someone who has hit all of 30 homers in six professional seasons, it’s at least worth paying attention to.

“It feels more powerful,” Capra said of his swing. “It may even be a little faster. I think the way the mechanics go, it’s just more of a grounded swing using more of my legs, which I think is a huge key.”

With no minor-league options remaining, it’s now or never for Capra to make his impact felt by the Brewers. Sometimes desperation begets innovation; in this case, though, it might have led to something else, too.

“When you’re at the edge, oftentimes it creates kind of a freedom of, ‘I’m just going to go do it,’” Murphy said. “It seems that he’s in that spot. So that gives him kind of an inside track because he’s out of options and you don’t want to burn players. We feel pretty lucky in that spot.”

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Milwaukee, WI

Stolen Oak Creek couple’s car found by viewer dumped near Milwaukee apartment complex

Published

9 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Stolen Oak Creek couple’s car found by viewer dumped near Milwaukee apartment complex

MILWAUKEE — An Oak Creek couple’s stolen car has been found after a viewer who saw a report on the theft spotted it near a south side Milwaukee apartment complex.

Melinna Posey said the ordeal began when her car was stolen and she turned to social media for help. A person who responded claimed to have the vehicle and demanded money for its return. The person messaging even taunted her, discarding some of the items inside the car.

Personal items were inside the vehicle, including the family’s car seat, stroller, cameras and photos.

“It’s been very stressful, especially for him. It’s his vehicle, it’s in his name,” Posey said.

Watch: Stolen Oak Creek couple’s car found by viewer dumped near Milwaukee apartment complex

Stolen Oak Creek couple’s car found by viewer dumped near Milwaukee apartment complex

I spoke to Posey on Tuesday. Since then, she and Tyler Dusenberry had been searching for the car. On Thursday, the couple received a message from someone who saw the story on TMJ4. That person found the car at a south side Milwaukee apartment complex and shared pictures of the red Dodge Durango SRT between trees and a building, covered in tarps.

“I didn’t believe the text message at first today, and then he sent pictures of the car, and I was like, thank the lord, I was like thank you so much,” Posey said.

“It’s a roller coaster that’s what it’s been,” Dusenberry said.

Brendyn Jones/TMJ4

Oak Creek Police picked up the car and are processing it for evidence. The family has not yet been able to see the inside of the vehicle or what, if anything, was left behind.

The family said they are grateful to everyone who helped them this week, but said the entire experience will be tough to get over.

“It’s just unfortunate that this all happened, and we had a lot of memories and trips within that vehicle so it’s just a little life-changing to be honest,” Dusenberry said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Milwaukee, WI

$95,000 worth of Milwaukee tools stolen in Plover

Published

19 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

,000 worth of Milwaukee tools stolen in Plover

PLOVER, Wis. (WBAY) – Police in the western part of the state are spreading the word after someone stole over $95,000 worth of Milwaukee-brand tools. Police are concerned that they’ll be sold online or sold outside the state.

Milwaukee-brand tools were stolen from a trailer at a solar farm in Plover.

Police say there were 130 items, including more than 40 half-inch impact guns, multiple wire cutters, grease guns, 80 batteries, and a couple of small generators.

Investigators are warning that buyers who purchase stolen items can have them seized and could lose their money or even face criminal charges if they knew the property was stolen.

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